Typical usage

The term ACE - Artificial Conversational Entity is used mostly in academic papers by researchers focused on modelling, developing and evaluating functionalities and capabilities of Artificial Conversational Entities. Some journalists used the term when describing the Loebner Prize contest.

Huma Shah used her terminology ACE - Artificial Conversational Entity to refer to chatbot A.L.I.C.E. The video is a demonstration of A.L.I.C.E. having a conversation with another ACE - Artificial Conversational Entity named Fake Captain Kirk. Demo was created by Pandorabots, Inc.

Background

The term ACE - Artificial Conversational Entity is a composite of three words: artificial, conversational, and entity.

The word artificial refers to what is made by humans, produced rather than natural in origin, made to resemble something, made in imitation of something natural, man-made, simulated, not genuine or natural. It originates from the Latin word artificilis meaning “belonging to art”, from artificium - craftsmanship.[1]

The word conversation signifies the spoken exchange of thoughts, opinions, and feelings; talk. It originates from Latin word conversationem (nominativus conversatio) meaning “act of living with”.[2]

The word entity describes an existence or being; in Philosophy entity is something having real or distinct existence; a thing, especially when considered as independent of other things. It originates from Medieval Latin entitās, from ēns - being, a thing.[3]

The term ACE - Artificial Conversational Entity was introduced in 2006 by Huma Shah in her paper A.L.I.C.E.: an ACE in Digitaland. The paper presents an analysis of Artificial Conversational Entity A.L.I.C.E. through her conversations with four judges, and comparing her artificial utterances with those of the four “hidden humans” (the confederates), during the Loebner Prize 2004 contest, which is an instantiation of Turing’s Test for machine intelligence.

Artificial Conversational Entity pages

Although we use chatbot as the main synonym on this website, please do not be confused. There are more than 161 synonyms in use by academics, business and artificial conversational entity enthusiasts! It is simply a matter of reading between the lines.

ACE or Advanced Computer Entertainment was a precursor to the computer entertainment magazines of today. The magazine covered multi-platform computer and video games mixed with technical issues and game users debates.

Terminology Mess

The terminology chaos confuses potential conversational AI buyers, puzzles job seekers and is slowing down innovation.
It's time for the industry to take responsibility and standardize terminology. Chatbots.org is happy to facilitate.